Two-wheeled vehicle



(No Model.)

N. W. SHERMAN.

TWO WHEELBD VEHICLE. I No. 334,091. I Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

N. PETERS. Pnnwunw n hur, Wnshinglnn. n. C.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

N IOHOLAS W. SHERMAN, OF COLDWATER, MICHIGAN.

TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,091, dated January 12, 1886.

Application filed November 12, 1885. Serial No. 182,602. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS W. SHER- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Goldwater, in the county of Branch and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sulkies; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to two-wheeled vehicles, and more especially to the variety thereof known as sulkies, and has for its object the provision of certain novel constructions whereby I am enabled to reduce the weight and cost of the vehicle and improve its riding motion by overcoming the horse movement, found so objectionable in ordinary vehicles of this class.

The present invention is designed more especially to be an improvement upon the construction of sulky patented to me on the 8th day of September, 1885, in Letters Patent N 0. 325,772, and many of the features of the present invention are copied from that; but I would not be understood as limiting myself to such construction in places or parts which are not essentially so constructed to insure the proper working of the novel features of the invention forming the subject-matter of the present application.

The novel features for which I ask protection in this application will be pointed out with particularity in the following detailed description, and set forth in the claims.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and illustrate what I consider the best means for carrying my invention into practice.

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved sulky. Fig. 2 represents the shaft-bar removed from its position and having the spring detached. Fig. 3 is a section on the line as m, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they occur.

A are the shafts, of analogous construction to those in my patent already alluded to. In the shaft-bar which connects the shafts in front of the axle I have,however,made an improvement which constitutes one of the features of my invention,and by which I am enabled to produce without extra expense a much lighter and more compact sulky structure than has hitherto been known. The improvement at this point consists in making this cross-head or shaft-bar double, as shown at a a, with a space between the two parts ex tending almost or quite across the length of the bar between the shafts, but preferably leaving a solid portion extending a short distance in from each end, as shown. In this space or elongated slot, which for convenience I have marked a, I swing the spring B, by means of loose links or shackles b, connected at one end to the ends of the spring and at the other to a fastening, b, secured on or in the solid ends of the cross-bar a. The spring B is of the half-elliptical form, and may be composed of as many leaves as desired. Being swung in the space in the cross-bar between the shafts, the length of the spring is very much,reduced and the consequent weight of the vehicle lessened. At the same time the form of connection by means of the loose links or shackles, taken in conjunction with the reduced length of the spring, gives avery decided improvement in the easy riding of the vehicle. Upon the spring B is secured the spring-bar O, to which the seat-bars hereinafter described are attached. To the front side of the springbar are attached the metallic straps of the foot rest or support, which are the same as those shown in my'patent before referred to; but their attachment to the front of the spring-bar is a point of considerable consequence and is productive of very much improved results in easy riding, as will presently appear.

The seat-bars D are connected to the shafts by means of loose links or shackles d d,and to the spring-bar at either end by means of the knuckle-joints d d.

The slat-bars have necessarily an inclined position, as shown, and any weight placed upon the seat will havea slightly backward as well as downward tendency, and such tendency will be communicated to the spring-bar. This tendency would, if unchecked, result ultimately in destroying the vertical position of the spring and spring-bar and ruining their utility. It is, however, overcome in some de- IOU gree in my previous patent by the foot-rest contributing to support the seat. Still the strain in said patent was mainly backward. In the present invention, however, I entirely overcome this backward pressure and equalize the strain and weight upon the spring and spring-bar by attaching the straps D to the front side of the said bar, as already described. By this means the spring and bar are retained in an upright and exact position. The attaching of the straps to the front of the spring-bar also does much to overcome the unpleasant motion usual in two-wheeled vehicles, since the rearward pressure or tendency,due to the seat-bars resting upon the spring-bar, is connterbalanced by said attachment,and the shafts and parts rigidly connected to them are left free to partake of the motion of the horse, while the seat and its supports, being all connected by loose links, and the strain upon the spring being equalized, as described, will be relieved of all such motion and receive only the usual vertical springy motion known to four-wheel vehicles, but hitherto unknown in two-wheel vehicles.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent 1s- 1. In a two-wheeled vehicle, the combina- 3 tion, with a shaft-bar having an opening, as

described, of a spring mounted in said openforth.

2. In a two-wheeled vehicle, the combination, with the slotted cross-bar, spring mounted on loose links or shackles therein, and spring-bar, of the seat and seat-bars, the latter being secured to the shafts by loose links and to the spring-bar by knuckle-joints, as set forth.

3. The combination,with the spring, spring- "bar, and seatbars mounted thereon, of the foot-rest and straps curved under and secured to the front side of the spring-bar, as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a sulky, the combination, with the slotted shaft-bar and spring mounted loosely therein, of the spring-bar surmounting said spring, the seat-bars knuckle-jointed to the spring-bar and loosely connected to the shafts, and the foot-rest straps connected at one end to the seat and at the other to the front of the spring-bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NICHOLAS WV. SHERMAN.

\Vitnesses:

S. B. KETCHEL, G. V. \VAITs.

ing, substantially as and for the purpose set 

